Improved mode of fitting oloteeig



@tI-luk .tf @anni @tritati Letters Patent No. 7 4,978, dated Mart-h3, 1868.

IMPRVBD MODE OFFITTING'OLOTHING.

` dige .tlgttnit ruimt it tu time rtictstleitt animating putt at tige sume.

'ro ALL To WHoM THESE PRESENTS SHALL conse Be itknoivn that I, RANDALr.-Brsnnn, ot Boston, in the'couuty ot'-Suii`o1k, and State of Massachusetts, Y have invented a new and original, Mode ci' Constructing or Fitting A rticlesot Clothing .to Diii'erent Portions `(if the Human Figure; and do hereby dcclaro'thc following to be a full, clear, and exact 'descriptionthereo due reference being had to the accompahying drawings, making part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a front view, i l i A Figure 2 a side elevation, and Figure 3 a transverse section. ,l

p The principal'object had in view in nia-hing this invention is to provide, by means of its employment, articles of dress or clothing for di'erent portions ot the humaniigure, which, while possessing thodesideratumor" ease and comfort, .shall impartal more graceful appearance to the wearer, and bea nearer approach to elegance of form.

In carrying out my invention, I produce an inelastic but exiblo mould or easement, to envelope the parts of the person to be measured and fitted, this mould or easement to be made in imitation of the portionfcf'a perfect or` ideal human gure, to which it is intended-to iit an article ot'4 dress or clothing.. In this moi-.ld or encasement, I make certain apertures or openings' for the'purpose of allowing the mould to expand, in order to` accommodate itself to -the variations in "form, as well as irregularitiesgand," in some ca ses, malformation, of the human bodybut only to theextent deemed necessary, and onlyin localities where the operator desires it, thus conforming vthe article of dress as nearly as possible -to this perfect mould consistent with ease to the wearer. The edges of the `above-rimmed .apertures are to be provided with a series of points o'r other means of .taking an accurate impression of, the'ir `size and shape, as' they become more or less expandedV in fitting the mould 'to portions of a persons bo'dy, in order'to enable the` mou.ld to be restored to the exactpositionafter removal from-the body, Vthat it assumed when thereon, and by this means alloiv the articleof clothing tobe tted to or in imitation of thismould, at any time subsequent to'thus fitting it.' l

In practical use ofm'y invention,'a certain number of standard `siz'es'and shapes of the moulds are to be provided and kept anhand, in like manner that` ordinary lasts are employed in establishments for'malaingboots and shoes, and no moulds should be applied to ahumun ligure or portions of a figure that such'iigure does not iill in the normal or closed state of such mould; hence, any enlargement of the mould yby the formi ci the wearer, or by reason of irregularities ordei'ectsl in the ligure-'will at once be exposed, and tney beacons,y

rately noted by means oi' the points above referred to.

The drawings accompanying and making part of this specificationare intended to' illustrate the applica tion of my invention-.to the purposes of boot andshoe-making, as developing., perhaps, more-clearly its peau-f liarities and advautages, than if applied to other articles ot' clothing.

By referring to those drawings it will be seen that the mould or encasemcnt before alluded to, is shownat Aas made substantially in the'form of an ordinary front-laced boot, ofxcept that it is made to approximate in form to a, perfectfboot, of which a is the upper, and b the sole, such sole being divided from or about itsinstep, outward, thus making tworportions of sueh solle, novable withrespectto each other, althiu metallic plate, c, being aiiixed to the inner upper surface of one side or -portion of the` sole, and so as to overlap or`partially overlap the other half of the sole, and provided with a slot and screw,'i n such manner as to allow the twoportions of the sole to recede from or be forced toward each other, -in order to vary the width ofthe sole and conform it to the foot of the wearer, An' auxiliery or outer sole, or thread,is secured to oneportion of Athe sole, before mentioned, Aand serves as abearing-surfaeefor support for such sole; or in place of the metallic plate and clamp-screw, or in connection therewith, anumber of bolts, d d, dto., maybev extended threugh the 'two portions ot' the sole 6, as shown in' the drawings, and serve to connetaad adjust, their movements.'

The opening'in front of the mould or encasement A is shown at e, as having arranged upon its opposite edges a series of indicators or pointers, f f, Snc., 'placed opposite each other, and with their inner facesA upon `a line with the edge of tlie opening e, so that upon closing this opening they shall bring, up in contact face to face with each other. The shape of these indicators is shown at tlg. 4 of the drawings, which is a repre-l sentation oi' one of them, anden referring to which n. will he seen that such pointer is composed of a metallic knee or bracket, one portion, g, of which is to be secured.4 to the mould A, and serves to support Athe devicel thereon, the upper extremity, z, of such device being formed into a sharp edge, running longitudinally with the opening'e, a hook, s', being formed at o'r about at the angle of. the two portions g and 7i., such hook serving to receiveea lacing, shown atj in the drawings, ior the purpose of securely holding tlieppper, a,'-inits proper position about the foot of the wearer. y

Ido'not, however, wish to be understood as intending to confine ymyself to this inode oi confining/the two portions ofthe upper, alsmany4 other equivalent devieesmight beemploycd to accomplis-h this purpose.

With regard to the-heel or back portion of the mould or encasement'A, it may ormay not h e made with an opening, similar to the opening @and providcdwith pointers or indicators in like 'manner thereto, but in practice it will probably he found advisable to so construct it. Y

In place ofthe pointers, for indicating the size of the openings, a piece of paper maybe inserted below such openings,.and theirv margin defined by means of a pencil. In fitting a persons footfor the purpose of making a pair of boots, the mould A is to be applied tothe footv in the. samefmanncr as with an ordinary laced boot. Y. I

The sole ofthe mould A is to be expanded or contracted accord-ing to the width of the wearers foot, and the upper, o, drawn intopplace around the foot by means-of the lacing j'or its equivalent. y The weareris then allowed towalk about in such vmould A, and its condition with regard to the foot .adjusted, until it feels pe rfectly easy, and in conform-ity with the desire of the wearer. A sheetof paper is then tube-pressed down upon the pointers ff, &c., which will puncture the paper with a line of dots or indentations,whlcllluresepivrated from one another more or -less, according to -the `distension of thetwo portions'of 'the'uppexg a; The mouldA is then to be removed from tli'e'foot'ot` the wearer, and the last, upon which the hoot'is to b'e made,

{itted toit, until the opening bfthe'upper by means ofthe pointers assumes exactly theisize and ,shape that it 'l teck when upon the persons foot, thus'causing the boot made upon the 'last to be an exact counterpart of the mould A, as thus fitted. y e

'The above description shows one mode 'of carrying out my inventiom'butit will be obvious that various modifications may be made in its details of' application, without aifecting the character orl princples'ef the invention, the main conditions of which consist in-'a ilexible mould, provided tures for showing'the changes in or departurejfrom the normal or perfect condition of such mould.

' Many advantages manifest themselves, even -in the comparatively few experiments thus far made in my invention.

with yielding or variable loper lOne advantage is that no latitude is left for guessing at the measure in iitting the last, asis now generally theease, themeasures, by means of my invention, being invariably and unalterably exact.

v.Another important advantage of my invent-ion is the/fact that it obviates the necessity of employing highpriced, experienced operativeshand enables the measures tobe taken andthe lasts subsequently to beiitted'by any person of ordinary intelligence.

vAnother advantage is that the person ordering boots may walk about with thc mould upon the foot'until it is exactly suited to his taste, the boot subsequently made being an exact counterpart of this'.v I

The invention elevatcs the making of clothing to a higher standard than as aimerc means' of clothing the human body,.and renders this eccupation'a nearer approach tourt than has yet been attempted, .while itt the :same time itshould'andwill have the-eifect of reducingY the cost of such clothing.

I clairn, as an improvement in the mode oi manufacturing or fitting clothingor othereoveriog for the foot, and otherportionsot` lthe human figure, the employmentof an inelastic but ex'ible mould, made perfeetin form, constructed with Vyielding openings4 or apertures, and provided Vwith a device for indicating the'shape-,o form oi' such openings, substantially'as herein shown and described. A

I also claim, as a means of indicating and noting the sine and shape ofthe apertures in the mould, the pointers, or their equivalents, essentially as herein shown anddesc-ribed; y

I ,f I also claim the construction of the sole of the mould for the foot, as divided in its centre, and provided With'aI suitable meansof conning it in position, substantially as'foeforo set forth and explained.

n l RANDALL BISBEE. Witnesses:

FRED. CUnTis, C.' W. Birnvvrn".L 

